Cross-point offset adjustment circuit

ABSTRACT

A differential signal offset adjustment circuit may include a first circuit for receiving a first one of a differential input signal and generating a first one of a differential output signal with positive offset based on a differential offset signal. The circuit may further include a second circuit for receiving a second one of a differential input signal and generating a second one of a differential output signal with a negative offset based on the differential offset signal.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/699,139, filed Sep. 8, 2017, titled CROSS-POINT OFFSET ADJUSTMENTCIRCUIT, issued Nov. 6, 2018 as U.S. Pat. No. 10,122,353, which claimsbenefit of and priority to the Sep. 9, 2016 filing date of the U.S.Patent Provisional Application No. 62/385,394, titled CROSS-POINT OFFSETADJUSTMENT CIRCUIT. Both Applications are incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments described herein generally relate to receivers and, moreparticularly, to adjustment of a cross-point for signal detection.

BACKGROUND

Many high speed data transmission networks rely on transceivers,including optical transceivers and similar devices, for facilitatingtransmission and reception of digital data embodied in the form of, forexample, optical signals over optical fibers. Typically, datatransmission in such networks utilizes an electro-optic transduceremitting light when current is passed there through with the intensityof the emitted light being a function of the current magnitude throughthe transducer. Data reception is generally implemented by way of anoptical receiver (also referred to as an optoelectronic transducer), anexample of which is a photodiode. The optoelectronic transducer receiveslight and generates a current, the magnitude of the generated currentbeing a function of the intensity of the received light.

During the operation of an optical transceiver, it is often important toevaluate the quality of a received data signal. One tool often used tohelp in the evaluation process is an eye diagram or pattern. As is wellknown, an eye diagram is formed by superimposing a long stream of randombits on one another on an oscilloscope or like device. The bit streamsinclude the transitions from high to low and low to high. Several systemperformance measures can be derived by analyzing the eye diagram. Forexample, if the signals are too long, too short, poorly synchronizedwith the system clock, too high, too low, too noisy, too slow to change,or have too much undershoot or overshoot, this can be observed from theeye diagram. In particular, an “open” eye diagram corresponds to minimalsignal distortion.

As stated, the eye diagram may provide information of the digital datasignal and the optical system such as channel noise, inter-symbolinterference (ISI), performance of a transmitter, or some combinationthereof within a particular signaling interval. Opening the eyegenerally refers to improving the eye diagram, which may occur throughadjusting an offset of the input signals.

The eye diagram may also be used to observe the cross-point. Thecross-point is the point on the eye diagram where the transitions fromhigh to low and low to high occur. For example, a digital low is oftenrepresented by a 0 volt signal and a digital high is represented by a 1volt signal. Accordingly, in an ideal system, the cross-point would beobserved at 0.5 volts.

One important task performed by a receiver of the transceiver is todetermine if the bits of the received data signal represent a digital 0(low) or a digital 1 (high). In order to perform such a task, circuitryin the post-amplifier reads the received data signal and makes thedetermination. In an ideal system with a cross-point at 0.5 volts, anysignal of 0.49 volts and below would typically be determined to be a lowand any signal of 0.51 volts or higher would typically be determined tobe a high. However, it is often the case that noise and other signaloffsets caused by fiber impurities, transistor mismatch, and the likecause distortion in the received signals. For example, added noise maycause a signal to be incorrectly determined as a high signal. It wouldtherefore be advantageous to have the ability to adjust the cross-pointof the received signals up or down (i.e., higher or lower than 0.5volts) to help compensate for any signal impurities.

Another requirement might be to scan the eye diagram at different pointsof the XY graph to evaluate the quality of the received dataquantitatively. While the scanning along the X-axis may be achieved bymoving the sampling instant of the observing system, the scanning alongthe Y-axis requires an advertent offset to be inserted that can beachieved by crosspoint adjust circuits.

The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments thatsolve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such asthose described above. Rather, this background is only provided toillustrate one example technology area where some embodiments describedherein may be practiced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify certain aspects of the present invention, a moreparticular description of the invention will be rendered by reference toexample embodiments thereof which are disclosed in the appendeddrawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only exampleembodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be consideredlimiting of its scope. Aspects of the invention will be described andexplained with additional specificity and detail through the use of theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an optical system, in accordancewith an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the offset adjustment circuit, inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3 illustrates a circuit diagram of an offset adjustment circuit, inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4 illustrates a plot of an offset on the output signal with respectto the offset control voltage, in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 5 illustrates plots of simulation results for an offset adjustmentcircuit, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart of a method for generating an offsetvoltage in a differential output signal, in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to the figures wherein like structures willbe provided with like reference designations. It is understood that thedrawings are diagrammatic and schematic representations of exemplaryembodiments of the invention, and are not limiting of the presentinvention nor are they necessarily drawn to scale. As used herein, asignal on a conductor may simply be referred to as the “signal” ratherthan the signal on a conductor or node.

In general, embodiments of the present invention relate to an open loopslice adjustment and offset correction circuit with bandwidthenhancement. Some embodiments described herein relate to a differentialsignal offset adjustment circuit. More specifically, the differentialsignal offset adjustment circuit includes a first circuit for receivinga first one of a differential input signal and generating a first one ofa differential output signal with positive offset based on adifferential offset signal. The differential signal adjustment circuitfurther includes a second circuit for receiving a second one of adifferential input signal and generating a second one of a differentialoutput signal with a negative offset based on the differential offsetsignal.

Another embodiment includes a method for generating and offsetting thedifferential output voltages. More specifically, the method includesreceiving a first one of a differential input signal at a first circuitand generating a first one of a differential output signal with positiveoffset based on a differential offset signal. The method furtherincludes receiving a second one of the differential input signal at asecond circuit and generating a second one of the differential outputsignal with a negative offset based on the differential offset signal.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an example optical system 100 inwhich some embodiments described herein may be implemented. The opticalsystem 100 may be configured for offset correction and bandwidthenhancement. As used herein, offset correction may indicate adjustmentof an offset, and slicing a threshold or a cross-point of data signalsin an open loop amplifier configuration. The one and zero level in adata signal can be corrupted differently due to device or channelimperfections in a transceiver link. For example, the one level at theoutput of an avalanche photodiode (APD) or transimpedance amplifier(TIA) connected to it may suffer from higher noise than the zero levelwhen the light is absent. Furthermore, the eye quality of thetransceiver link may be monitored by mapping the sampling point acrossthe eye and measuring the bit-error rate at each point. The slicingthreshold of the data may be moved vertically by inserting an adjustableoffset.

In FIG. 1, the optical system 100 may be configured for adaptation foroffset correction and bandwidth enhancement. Some embodiments of theoptical system 100 may be a multi-mode optical system such as an opticalsystem substantially conforming to the 100GBASE-SR4 standard or anothersuitable Ethernet data communication standard. In these embodiments, theoptical system 100 may include a multi-mode fiber (MMF) thatsubstantially conforms to the OM3 standard, for instance.

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the optical system 100 isconfigured to communicate digital data 102 in the form of opticalsignals from a transmitter 104 to a receiver assembly 124 via an MMF108. The transmitter 104 may include a laser 126 or another suitableoptical signal source. The laser 126 may include a vertical cavitysurface-emitting laser (VCSEL) or a directly modulated laser (DML), forinstance. The transmitter 104 may also include a driver 114 that isconfigured to drive the laser 126.

The digital data 102 may include non-return to zero (NRZ) data, forinstance. The NRZ data may be configured to be communicated at a symbolrate of 25.8 gigabaud per second (Gb/s) or other suitable symbol rate.The digital data 102 may be representative of some occurrence or state,and accordingly the digital data 102 may be random.

The receiver assembly 124 may include an optical receiver 106, atransimpedence amplifier (TIA) 110, an offset adjustment circuit 112, aclock and data recovery circuit (CDR) 174, a memory 116, and anevaluation module 122. The optical receiver 106 may convert the opticalsignals communicated along the MMF 108 to electrical signalsrepresentative of the optical signals. The optical receiver 106 mayinclude a photodiode, for example. The TIA 110 may receive theelectrical signals from the optical receiver 106 and may be configuredto amplify the electrical signals into differential input signal V_(IN)111. The electrical signals may then be communicated to the offsetadjustment circuit 112, which may be configured to generate an offset inthe electrical signals to adjust a cross-point of the electricalsignals. Offset-adjusted signals 113 may then be communicated from theoffset adjustment circuit 112 to a slicer 150 and then to the CDR 174.

The offset adjustment circuit 112 may be configured for adjusting anoffset of the differential input signal V_(IN) 111 output from the TIA110. Additionally, the offset adjustment circuit 112 may be configuredto generate an offset during communication of the digital data 102 inthe optical system 100. The offset adjustment circuit 112 may include anoffset circuit for adjusting the offset and a slicer, such as azero-level slicer. In embodiments in which the offset adjustment circuit112 includes the offset circuit for adjusting the offset and a slicer,the offset may be adjusted in an open loop.

The offset adjustment circuit 112 may be communicatively coupled to thememory 116. For example, the offset adjustment circuit 112 may beconfigured to receive voltage offset signals V_(OS) 115 as generated bya digital-to-analog (DAC) converter 128 in response to offset adjustmentsettings stored at least temporarily in the memory 116.

The memory 116 may be a DRAM device, an SRAM device, flash memory, orsome other memory device. In some embodiments, the memory 116 may alsoinclude a non-volatile memory or similar permanent storage device forstoring information on a more permanent basis. The memory 116 may be anexample of a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as RAM, ROM,EEPROM, flash memory, or other memory technology, or any othernon-transitory computer-readable medium executable by a processor 120.The memory 116 may be allocated for other purposes such as storage ofinstructions and or data that may be implemented by one or moreprocessors 120. These instructions may be executed to perform one ormore techniques described herein.

A library 118 may be configured to store one or more settings forcontrolling the DAC 128 for generating the offset control input V_(OS)115. The offset control voltage V_(OS) 115 may be an example of controlsettings communicated to the offset adjustment circuit 112. The controlsettings may be determined by various testing and design and may also bedetermined based on an analysis by the evaluation module 122. Theanalysis from the evaluation module 122 may yield data for storing inmemory 116 which, in turn, may be used to generate the one or morecontrol settings for controlling the DAC 128 to generate the offsetcontrol input V_(OS) to the offset adjustment circuit 112.

The slicer 150 may provide a feedback signal such as binary outputsignal 151 to the offset adjustment circuit 112 and the CDR 174 mayfurther communicate a data signal 154 indicative of the digital data102. The evaluation module 122 may be configured to receive the offsetadjusted signals 113 communicated from the offset adjustment circuit112. The evaluation module 122 may determine signal quality, includingan eye opening of the offset adjusted signals 113.

The evaluation module 122 may include an EOM or any other suitablesystem configured to receive the binary output signal 151 or anothersignal indicative of signal quality and evaluate signal quality basedthereon. For example, in some embodiments, the evaluation module 122 mayinclude an EOM. The EOM may generate eye diagrams or approximate metricsof an eye quality from the binary output signal 151. Additionally, theEOM may be configured to compare multiple eye diagrams generated frommultiple sets of offset signals received from the offset adjustmentcircuit 112.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the offset adjustment circuit ofan example embodiment of the offset adjustment circuit 112 of FIG. 1.The offset adjustment circuit 112 receives two differential inputsignals and generates a single output signal. As illustrated, adifferential input signal V_(IN) 111 is received from the amplifier 110or other filter or buffer.

The first input, namely a differential input signal V_(IN) 111, includesdifferential input signals V_(IN)+ and V_(IN)− which each exhibit asubstantially equal DC offset level. The second input, namely adifferential offset adjustment voltage V_(OS) 115, includes differentialvoltage offset signals V_(OS)+ and V_(OS)− which exhibit a selected orspecified adjusted offset voltage. The output, namely the differentialoffset adjusted signals 113, includes differential offset signalsV_(OUT)+ and V_(OUT)− which each exhibit different DC offset levels. Thedifference in the DC offset levels of the differential offset signalsV_(OUT)+ and V_(OUT)− is substantially equal to the differential voltageoffset adjustment voltage V_(OS) 115.

A slicer 150 couples to the offset adjustment circuit 112. The slicer150 may be configured as a 0-level slicer which generates binary outputsignals 151 based upon the offset-adjusted signals 113. The binaryoutput signals 151 then couple to the input of the CDR 174 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a circuit diagram of an offset adjustment circuit112, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The differential offsetadjustment circuit 112 includes a first circuit 378 for receiving afirst one of a differential input signal and generating a first one of adifferential output signal with positive offset based on a differentialoffset signal. The differential offset adjustment circuit 112 alsoincludes a second circuit 380 for receiving a second one of adifferential input signal and generating a second one of a differentialoutput signal with a negative offset based on the differential offsetsignal.

The first circuit 378 includes a first branch 382 including a firsttransistor 340 coupled between a first current source 320 and a secondcurrent source 352. The first transistor 340 includes a collectorterminal coupled to the first current source 320 and an emitter terminalcoupled to the second current source 352. The first current source 320and the second current source 352 are preferably matched and source/sinkequivalent amounts of current.

The first transistor 340 further includes a base terminal coupled to thefirst one of the differential offset signal V_(OS)+ 310. The collectorterminal of the first transistor 340 further couples to the first one ofthe differential input signal Vin+ 302.

The first circuit 378 further includes a second branch 384 including asecond transistor 350 coupled between a third current source 330 and afourth current source 362. The second transistor 350 includes acollector terminal coupled to the third current source 330 and anemitter terminal coupled to the fourth current source 362. The thirdcurrent source 330 and the fourth current source 362 are preferablymatched and source/sink equivalent amounts of current.

The second transistor 350 further includes a base terminal coupled tothe second one of the differential offset signal VOS− 312. The collectorterminal of the second transistor 350 further couples to the first oneof the differential output signal Vout+ 306.

The second circuit 380 includes a third branch 386 including a thirdtransistor 342 coupled between a fifth current source 328 and a sixthcurrent source 354. The third transistor 342 includes a collectorterminal coupled to the fifth current source 328 and an emitter terminalcoupled to the sixth current source 354. The fifth current source 328and the sixth current source 354 are preferably matched and source/sinkequivalent amounts of current.

The third transistor 342 further includes a base terminal coupled to thefirst one of the differential offset signal V_(OS)+ 310. The collectorterminal of the third transistor 342 further couples to the second oneof the differential output signal V_(OUT)− 308.

The second circuit 380 further includes a fourth branch 388 including afourth transistor 348 coupled between a seventh current source 322 andan eighth current source 360. The fourth transistor 348 includes acollector terminal coupled to the seventh current source 322 and anemitter terminal coupled to the eighth current source 360. The seventhcurrent source 322 and the eighth current source 360 are preferablymatched and source/sink equivalent amounts of current.

The fourth transistor 348 further includes a base terminal coupled tothe second one of the differential offset signal V_(OS)− 312. Thecollector terminal of the fourth transistor 348 further couples to thesecond one of the differential input signal Vin− 304.

The differential signal offset adjustment circuit 112 further includes afirst resistor 332 coupled between the first one of the differentialinput signal Vin+ 302 and the first one of the differential outputsignal V_(OUT)+ 306. The differential signal offset adjustment circuit112 further includes a first capacitor 334 in parallel with the firstresistor 332. The differential signal offset adjustment circuit 112 yetfurther includes a second resistor 366 coupled between the first branch382 and the second branch 384.

The differential signal offset adjustment circuit 112 further includes athird resistor 336 coupled between the second one of the differentialinput signal Vin− 304 and the second one of the differential outputsignal V_(OUT)− 308. The differential signal offset adjustment circuit112 further includes a second capacitor 338 in parallel with the thirdresistor 336. The differential signal offset adjustment circuit 112 yetfurther includes a fourth resistor 368 coupled between the third branch386 and the fourth branch 388.

The differential signal offset adjustment circuit 112 further includes abandwidth enhancement circuit 370 coupled between the first one of thedifferential input signal V_(IN)+ 302 and the second one of thedifferential input signal V_(IN)− 304.

The bandwidth enhancement circuit 370 includes a fifth branch 390including a fifth transistor 344 coupled between a ninth current source324 and a tenth current source 356. The fifth transistor 344 includes acollector terminal coupled to the ninth current source 324 and anemitter terminal coupled to the tenth current source 356. The ninthcurrent source 324 and the tenth current source 356 are preferablymatched and source/sink equivalent amounts of current.

The bandwidth enhancement circuit 370 further includes a sixth branch392 including a sixth transistor 346 coupled between an eleventh currentsource 326 and a twelfth current source 358. The sixth transistor 346includes a collector terminal coupled to the eleventh current source 326and an emitter terminal coupled to the twelfth current source 358. Theeleventh current source 326 and the twelfth current source 358 arepreferably matched and source/sink equivalent amounts of current.

The fifth transistor 344 further includes a base terminal coupled to thecollector terminal of the sixth transistor 346. The sixth transistor 346further includes a base terminal coupled to the collector terminal ofthe fifth transistor 344. The emitter terminal of the fifth transistor344 may be connected to the emitter terminal of the sixth transistor 346by a capacitor 364.

In operation, the offset adjustment circuit 112 may provide foradjustment of the offset, slicing threshold or cross-point of datasignals in an open loop amplifier configuration. The “one” and “zero”level in a data signal may become differently corrupted due to device orchannel imperfections in a transceiver link. For example, the “one”level at the output of an avalanche photodiode (APD) or transimpedanceamplifier (TIA), such as amplifier 110, may suffer from higher noisethan the “zero” level when light is absent. Furthermore, monitoring theeye quality of a transceiver link may include mapping the sampling pointacross the eye and measuring the bit-error rate at each point. For theadjustment of the offset, slicing threshold or cross-point of the datasignals, the slicing threshold of the data may be moved vertically byinserting an adjustable offset.

Various benefits of the offset adjustment circuit 112 may be realized.In an exemplary embodiment, an offset voltage nominally equal to theexternally set value can be achieved without using negative feedbackloops that consume a significant on-chip passive area. This may beachieved by maintaining approximately a 1:2 ratio of load anddegeneration resistances and ensuring good matching conditions of thesurrounding devices.

Furthermore in the offset adjustment circuit 112, a degeneration or gainmay be introduced in the offset adjustment voltage V_(OS) 310, 312 bychanging the resistor ratio from 1:2 and increasing/decreasing the valueof I₁ for the current sources of FIG. 3. Moreover, the dynamic range andgain of the offset control may be set independent of each other bychanging the load and degeneration resistor values, respectively.

Yet further, DC offset arising from fabrication mismatches inside thereceiver assembly may exacerbate the eye quality and therefore the BER.Therefore, a significantly larger dynamic range of offset control mayprovide a benefit. Accordingly, a large voltage offset may be createdeither by a large offset current flowing through a typical resistor or atypical offset current flowing through a large resistor. The former caseresults in a large power dissipation while the latter reduces circuitspeed. In the exemplary embodiment, a method for achieving a largeoffset without incurring too much power dissipation and loss ofbandwidth is provided. For example, a large value of R in FIG. 3 may bechosen to allow a smaller value of offset current (I₁) and therefore,lower power dissipation. In order to restore the bandwidth lost due to ahigh value of R, a high-frequency bypass capacitor (C₂) and a bandwidthextension network (Q₃, Q₄, I₂ and C₁) may be utilized.

Also, due to the small quantity of stacked devices in each branch (forexample, there are only three devices in the first branch from right,i.e. I₁, Q2 and I₁), the tolerable range of input and output DC voltagesis large, allowing the devices to operate in their desirable operatingregions even at the edges of the control region.

In another exemplary embodiment, the current through the current sourcesadjacent to the input stage (I₁ & I₂ at top left side) may be easilymade part of the input circuity (if needed) by simply eliminating thecurrent sources. This embodiment may be more compatible with inputcircuitry that presents a low output impedance.

Also, due to the differential nature of the offset input stages (Q₁, Q₃and Q₂, Q₄) and the large tolerance range of DC voltages as describedabove, the circuit may be insensitive to the common mode of the offsetcontrol input (V_(OS)) and therefore, may not require a differentialcurrent digital-to-analog converter (IDAC) or any other differentialcircuitry with controlled common mode to generate V_(OS). Due to thiscommon mode immunity, a single ended control embodiment of the presentinvention is possible by tying one node of the differential offset inputto a fixed voltage and the other to a voltage determined by the requiredoffset correction.

Further, the high input impedance at the signal input port (V_(IN)connections in FIG. 3) allows the circuit to accept any input commonmode voltage and passes it on to the output (V_(OUT)) after offsetmodification as specified by the user. In other words, the embodimentlets the circuit at the input decide the input/output common modevoltage.

The offset adjustment circuit 112 is self-contained and does notsource/sink any current to/from input and output circuitry. Therefore,the input circuitry remains unaffected by the proposed slice adjustcircuit and the operating point of the input is unaltered. In otherwords, unlike many other implementations where the circuit at the inputgets effected by the offset setting, this circuit acts as a sensecircuit at the input and does not modify the input signal either incommon mode or differential manner.

Further, the current (I₂) and capacitance value (C₁) of the bandwidthenhancement circuit 370 is small by design to limit over-compensationand therefore does not require significant power or area consumption.

FIG. 4 illustrates a plot of the offset on the output signal withrespect to the offset control voltage. The x-axis 404 is a plot of theoffset control voltage V_(OS) 310/312. The y-axis 402 is a plot of theoffset voltage as seen on the output signal V_(OUT)+ 306. The plot 400illustrates the linear nature of the offset adjustment circuit 112 ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 5 illustrates plots of simulation results for the offset adjustmentcircuit 112 of FIG. 3. In plot (A) of FIG. 5, the output signal V_(OUT)is plotted which illustrates an eye pattern having a “high” signal levelat 502 and a “low” signal level at 504. The DC offset level 506 iscentrally located between the high signal level 502 and the low signallevel 504.

Plots (B) and (C) are single-ended plots of the output signal V_(OUT).In plot (B), the positive output differential signal V_(OUT)+ 306 ofFIG. 3 is plotted. The plot of positive output differential signalV_(OUT)+ 306 swings between a high signal level 510 and a low signallevel 512. The offset signal level 514 is a combination of the DC offsetof the input signal V_(IN)+ 302 and the offset inserted from the offsetcontrol voltage V_(OS) 310/312. Plot (B) further illustrates a slicelevel 508 for future determination of the logic level of the outputsignal V_(OUT)+ 306.

In plot (C), the negative output differential signal V_(OUT)− 308 ofFIG. 3 is plotted. The plot of negative output differential signalV_(OUT)− 308 swings between a high signal level 520 and a low signallevel 522. The offset signal level 514 is a combination of the DC offsetof the input signal V_(IN)− 304 minus the offset inserted from theoffset control voltage V_(OS) 310/312. Plot (C) further illustrates aslice level 508 for future determination of the logic level of theoutput signal V_(OUT)− 308.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart of a method 600 for generating an offsetvoltage in a differential output signal. In block 602, a first circuitreceives a first one of a differential input signal. The first circuit378, described above, receives the first one, for example differentialinput signal V_(IN)+ 302. In block 604, the first circuit generates afirst one of a differential output signal with positive offset based ona differential offset signal. The first circuit 378 generates the firstone, for example differential output signal V_(OUT)+ 306.

In block 606, a second circuit receives a second one of a differentialinput signal. The second circuit 380, described above, receives thesecond one, for example differential input signal V_(IN)− 304. In block608, the second circuit generates a second one of a differential outputsignal with negative offset based on a differential offset signal. Thesecond circuit 380 generates the second one, for example differentialoutput signal V_(OUT)− 308.

All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended forpedagogical objects to aid the reader in understanding the invention andthe concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and areto be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recitedexamples and conditions. Although embodiments of the present inventionshave been described in detail, it should be understood that the variouschanges, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A differential signal offset adjustment circuit,comprising: a first circuit operatively coupled to an amplificationcircuit so as to receive a first one of a differential input signalincluding a DC offset and configured to generate a first one of adifferential output signal with a positive offset based on a combinationof a differential offset signal and the DC offset; and a second circuitoperatively coupled to the amplification circuit so as to receive asecond one of the differential input signal including the DC offset andconfigured to generate a second one of the differential output signalwith a negative offset based on a combination of the differential offsetsignal and the DC offset.
 2. The differential signal offset adjustmentcircuit of claim 1, wherein the first circuit includes: a first branchthat includes a first transistor coupled between a first current sourceand a second current source, and a second branch that includes a secondtransistor coupled between a third current source and a fourth currentsource.
 3. The differential signal offset adjustment circuit of claim 2,further comprising a first resistor coupled between the first one of thedifferential input signal and the first one of the differential outputsignal.
 4. The differential signal offset adjustment circuit of claim 3,further comprising a first capacitor in parallel with the firstresistor.
 5. The differential signal offset adjustment circuit of claim3, further comprising a second resistor coupled between the first branchand the second branch.
 6. The differential signal offset adjustmentcircuit of claim 2, wherein the second circuit includes: a third branchthat includes a third transistor coupled between a fifth current sourceand a sixth current source, and a fourth branch that includes a fourthtransistor coupled between a seventh current source and an eighthcurrent source.
 7. The differential signal offset adjustment circuit ofclaim 6, further comprising a third resistor coupled between the secondone of the differential input signal and the second one of thedifferential output signal.
 8. The differential signal offset adjustmentcircuit of claim 7, further comprising a second capacitor in parallelwith the third resistor.
 9. The differential signal offset adjustmentcircuit of claim 7, further comprising a fourth resistor coupled betweenthe third branch and the fourth branch.
 10. The differential signaloffset adjustment circuit of claim 1, further comprising a bandwidthenhancement circuit coupled across the differential input signal.
 11. Areceiver assembly, comprising: an optical receiver configured to receivean optical signal and output an electrical signal representative of theoptical signal; an amplification circuit operatively coupled to theoptical receiver and configured to receive the electrical signal andamplify it into a differential input signal; and a differential signaloffset adjustment circuit operatively coupled to the amplificationcircuit, the differential signal offset adjustment circuit comprising: afirst circuit operatively coupled to the amplification circuit so as toreceive a first one of the differential input signal including a DCoffset and configured to generate a first one of a differential outputsignal with a positive offset based on a combination of a differentialoffset signal and the DC offset; and a second circuit operativelycoupled to the amplification circuit so as to receive a second one ofthe differential input signal including the DC offset and configured togenerate a second one of the differential output signal with a negativeoffset based on a combination of the differential offset signal and theDC offset.
 12. The receiver assembly of claim 11, further comprising amemory operatively coupled to the differential signal offset adjustmentcircuit, wherein the memory stores offset adjustment settings thatdetermine the differential offset signal.
 13. The receiver assembly ofclaim 12, further comprising a digital-to-analog converter (DAC)operatively coupled between the memory and the differential signaloffset adjustment circuit, wherein the DAC is configured to generate thedifferential offset signal in response to the offset adjustment settingsstored in the memory.
 14. The receiver assembly of claim 12, furthercomprising an evaluation module operatively coupled to the memory andthe differential signal offset adjustment circuit, wherein theevaluation module is configured to generate an analysis of thedifferential output signal which may determine the offset adjustmentsettings.
 15. The receiver assembly of claim 11, wherein the firstcircuit includes: a first branch that includes a first transistorcoupled between a first current source and a second current source, anda second branch that includes a second transistor coupled between athird current source and a fourth current source.
 16. The receiverassembly of claim 15, further comprising a first resistor coupledbetween the first one of the differential input signal and the first oneof the differential output signal.
 17. The receiver assembly of claim16, further comprising a first capacitor in parallel with the firstresistor.
 18. The receiver assembly of claim 16, further comprising asecond resistor coupled between the first branch and the second branch.19. The receiver assembly of claim 15, wherein the second circuitincludes: a third branch that includes a third transistor coupledbetween a fifth current source and a sixth current source, and a fourthbranch that includes a fourth transistor coupled between a seventhcurrent source and an eighth current source.
 20. The receiver assemblyof claim 11, further comprising a bandwidth enhancement circuit coupledacross the differential input signal.